from the island.

The policy of the home government has been to suppress, so far as
possible, all knowledge of matters in general relating to Cuba;
especially to prevent the making public of any statistical information
regarding the internal resources, all accounts of its current growth,
prosperity, or otherwise. Rigidly-enforced rules accomplished this
seclusiveness for many years, until commercial relations with the
"outside barbarians" rendered this no longer possible. No official
chart of Havana, its harbor, or that of any other Cuban city has ever
been made public. Spain has seemed to desire to draw a curtain before
this tropical jewel, lest its dazzling brightness should tempt the
cupidity of some other nation. Notwithstanding this, our war
department at Washington contains complete drawings of every important
fortification, and charts of every important harbor in Cuba. Since
1867 we have been connected with Cuba by submarine cable, and through
her with Jamaica since 1870. The local government exercises, however,
strict surveillance over telegraphic communications.

The political condition of Cuba is what might be expected of a
Castilian colony, ruled and governed by such a policy as prevails
here. Like the home government, she presents a remarkable instance of
the standstill policy, and from one of the most powerful and wealthy
kingdoms of Europe, Spain has sunk to the position of the humblest and
poorest. Other nations have labored and succeeded in the race of
progress, while her adherence to ancient institutions and her
dignified contempt for "modern innovations" have become a species of
retrogression, which has placed her far below all her sister
governments. The true Hidalgo spirit, which wraps itself up in an
antique garb and shrugs its shoulders at the advance of other nations,
still rules over the realm of Ferdinand and Isabella, while its
high-roads swarm with gypsies and banditti, as tokens of decaying
power.

CHAPTER XIV.

Consumption of Tobacco. -- The Delicious Fruits of the
Tropics. -- Individual Characteristics of Cuban Fruits. --
The Royal Palm. -- The Mulberry Tree. -- Silk Culture. -- The
Island once covered by Forests. -- No Poisonous Reptiles. --
The Cuban Bloodhound. -- Hotbed of African Slavery. --
Spain's Disregard of Solemn Treaties. -- The Coolie System of
Slavery. -- Ah-Lee draws a Prize. -- Native African Races. --